Automatic torque measurer, recorder, and regulator for rotary drilling machines



April 10, 1934. J JOHNSON 1,954,176

, AUTOMATIC TOR UE MEASURER, RECORDER, AND

REGULATOR FOR ROTARY DRILLING MACHINES 4 Sheets-Sheet. 1

Filed June 23, 1932 J Johnson April 10, 1934. J JQHNSON 1,954,176

AUTOMATIC TORQUE MEASURER, RECORDER, AND

REGULATOR FOR ROTARY DRILLING MACHINES Filed June 23, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 (3 \J R w A k $8 I- U- H "-J EN i Joz 728 72 April 10, 1934.

J JOHNSON Y 1,954,176

AUTOMATIC TORQUE ME ASURER, RECORDER, AND' REGULATOR FOR ROTARY DRILLING MACHINES Filed June 23, 1932 4' Sheets-Sheet 5 a w @IM so N 3/ v 34 J Johnson April 10, 1934; J. JOHNSON 1,954,176

AUTOMATIC TORQUE MEASURER, RECORDER, AND 1 REGULATOR FOR ROTARY DRILLING MACHINES I 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed June 23, 1932 J Jahn on l 'atented Apr. 10, 1934- I UNlTED STATES PATENT OFFICE AUTOMATIC TORQUE MEASURER, nacomma, AND neoum'roa FOR norm DRILLING moms Jack Johnson, Los Angeles, Calif.,- assignor to Julius Fried, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application June 23, 1932,'Serial No. 618,951 16 Claims. (Cl. 255-19) This invention relates to rotary drilling mameans for transmitting rotation to the drilling chines and particularly to means for regulating, mechanism part, due to wear or excessive strain.

' recording and measuring the torque applied to A further object is to provide means which the drill. In all drilling operations, the driller will record all strain and stress'due to the twist must exercise a great deal of judgment as to the or torque necessary to operate the bit, a fishing 60 strainapplied upon the drill pipe. Inpractice, 19001, y Other 1001 used in the drilling Of a an experienced'driller develops a certain sense Well, and generally speaking to provide means of feeling by which he guides himself in letting which will remove the greatest hazard of drilling,

down a certain amount of weight and rotating nam y x e Stress an r i pp to the lo the drill at a certain speed' but a driller has no drill pipe 11 tihe P e t system, which 65 I means of knowing how much stress or strain is moval of this hazard will permitthedriller to being appliedto the drill pipe other than through drill with a less margin of safety and permit him sound or the feeling of the equipment or by the to drill a g a length 0! h e'p day with amount of weightapplied to the bit and this is a greater am f' yparticularly so when a deep well is being drilled other Objects will pp in the course of fi 70 using small-sized steel pipe. following description.

Drillersvary in their method of drilling. One y v on is i ustr te i t a pfl may use a fast running rotaryor operate his ins wings, W rei ltablefas'terthan another by using less weight and Figure 1 is a fragmentary elev n of a D another driller may use more weight but operate I tion of a derrick with my me han p 75 at less speed. Both may accomplish the same th reto and controlling the drill bit; amount of work and be efllcient drillers but in f ure 2 is an en arged e ev t partly broken either or these cases, they are subject at any. w y of the means for placin tension n' the time to a twist off of burnt bit or to having the controlling cable, and means for controlling the drill pipe crystallize due to the banging and wear valve; 7 V and tear between the drill stem bushing or Kelly Figure 3 is a fragmentary section through the and the drill stem. tension controlling pulley;

The general object of this invention is, there-- Figure 4 is an enlarged elevation of the means fore, to eliminate all hazards due to accidental for driving the drill;

30 drill strain or torque on the drill pipe or due to Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view through 85 a sudden locking of the bit,causing this excess the drill the driving sleeve therefor and allied 4 strain-on the drill pipe or due to a burning of the parts; bit through the excess speed of the rotary table Figure 6 is an elevation of the sleeve in section or due to excess weight on the bit. A in Figure 5;

A further object is to eliminate the use of a Figure 7 is a top plan view of the sleeve; 90 drill stem and the rotary table used in the pres- Figure 8 is a fragmentary plan view of one ent rotaries, thereby eliminating the crystallizaend of the supporting structure or base upon 'tion of the drill pipe. which the engine is mounted;

A. still further objectis to make it possible at- Figure 9 is a vertical sectional view throug all times for the driller to know the stress which the diaphragm casing.

,is being applied on the string of drill pipe and- Referring to Figure 1, in which a general lay- .predetermine this stress and )ahus remove the out ofmy system is illustrated, 10 designates the guesswork of the driller aS t O when toshut the usual derrick carrying the sheaves 11 and 12.

po ofl or how much power t u This derrick, of course, rests upon a suitable A further object is to provide a construction of platform designated 13, the construction of this character in which the power is automaticalwhich is material. This platform is provided ,ly reduced when torsional strain beyond a predewith the usual bowl 14 having the usual slips tel-mined amount comes upon the drill bit or drill 15 to engage, if necessary, with drill pipe 16. This pipe and t p v means to n ir ly out off drill pipe is connected by a coupling 17 whose de- 50 power if the bit should become locked from rotatails'will be later described with a swivel casing tion or immediately again apply the power in case designated generally 18 having the usual'bail 19.

the bit should free-itself. I s 1 engaged by the hook of alifting block 20 of any A further object is to provide means which. usual or suitable construction and such as comshould immediately shut off power to the rotatmonly used in well drilling rigs.

5 ing unitshbuld the wire cable which acts as the Anchored tothe base 3 at 21 is a cable 23 no which extends up over the pulleys 11 and 12 and down on the otherside of the derrick where the means for rotating the drill pipe is designated generally 24. This body is formed with a central upstanding hollow hub 25 within which is disposed a sleeve or forging 26, the upper end of which is flared.

This forging has a contracted neck at its lower .end designated 27 which is exteriorly screwthreadedat 28 and just above the beginning of this neck, the sleeve'is screw-threaded as-at 29. The inside of this member 26 acts as a mud or fluid' passage from the swivel to the drill pipe. Mounted upon this sleeve is a gear wheel 30 which is screwed upon the threads 28 and is held in place by a key 31. Extending through a hear-- ing 32 formed in the bed plate 24 is a'short shaft 33 which carries at its lower end, the pinion 34 engaging the gear wheel 30 and at its upper end v carries the gear wheel 35 through which power is applied to the member 26 to rotate it and the drill pipe. g

Mounted upon the bed plate 24 is a casing 36' for an engine which rotates the gear ,wheel 35. The exhaust of this engine is designated 37 while the intake .pipe of the engine is designated 38. This enginemay be of any suitable or usual construction and is illustrated as a steam engine and is operativelyconnected to a gear wheel 39 which meshes with the gear wheel 35 and, therefore, drives the gear 30. Preferably the reverse lever of this engine is operated by a piston and cylinder, the cylinder being designated 40 so that when steam pressure is applied in this cylinder, the piston thereof will operate a reverse lever which will reverse the steam engine. Inasmuch as reversing levers of this character are well-known and inasmuch as steam engines of this character are well known, it is not considered necessary to illustrate in detail, either the steam engine or reversing mechanism.

The base 24is formed with two laterally pro-- jecting portions or arms 41, each of which carries, as shown in Figure 8, alinedspaced pulleys 42. between which a stretch or length of the cable 22 passes.

Thus that portion of the cable 22 which extends upward from the anchor 21 will be disposed between the pulleys carried on one of the arms "41 while the opposite vertical length or stretch of the cable will be disposed between the two pulleys on the opposite arm 41. Thus any rotatlve force appliedto the base 41 by the engine will tend'to rotate this base and this will tend to shift the ',two stretches of the cable with relation to each other and place a strain upon what may be termed the free end of the cable.

Coacting with the free end of the cable 22 as illustrated in Figure 2, is a sheave or pulley '43 beneath which the cable passes. This pulley is supported upon a pivotally mounted frame 44 pivoted at 45 upon a base 46, this frame having an angular arm 47,"the outer endof the arm ,being provided with the downwardlyprojecting lug engaging against a plunger 48'which extends into the casing 49 of a diaphragm, the diaphragm within the'casing being designated 50. The opposite wall of this casing is provided with an opening 51 which is connected by a pipe 52 to a pressure gage 53 and to a hydraulic recording piston 57 disposed within a cylinder 58.

gage or recorder 54 for purposes which will be later stated. The free end of the cable passes beneath this sheave 43 and then passes over a pulley 55 carriedupon the piston rod 56 of a The free'end of the cable passes over this pulley 55 and downward and then toward the sheave 43 and is anchored to the base plate 46 by any suitable-means, as for instance, bymeans of the upwardly and outwardly curved lug 59 formed as part of the base plate and with which an eye on the end of the cable engages.

The pulley 55 is provided with a plurality of circumferentially extending apertures 60 for a purpose to be later stated. The cylinder 58 is provided at its opposite ends with the bleed cocks 61 and 62 and opening intothe opposite ends of the: cylinder is the fluid pressure pipe 63. The middle portion of this pipe is connected by a valved connection to a pressure reducer 64 of any suitable or usual type. pressure reducer is the pipe 65 which is connected. by a T 66 to a relatively larger pipe 67 leading from a source of fluid under pressure,

which fluid might be air, steam or any other suitable fluid for this purpose. Also leading from the T 66 are two pipes 68 and 69. The pipe 68 leads to a hose '70 which discharges into the reverse control cylinder 40. The pipes 69 and 68 are both provided with manually operable valves 71. The pipe 69 leads to a hose 72-which in turn leads into the inlet pipe 38 of the engine .36. In the length of this pipe 69 there is disposed a throttle valve 73 having an arm 74 connected to a link 75. This link at its extremity passes through an eye bolt 76 which is inserted'in any one of the apertures, 60 in the pulley 55. The link at its extremity is screwthr'eaded and nuts 77 are disposed on each' side of this eye so as to adjustably connect the link .to the eye bolt. The link by means of the bolt 76 is adjustably connected to the pulley 55.

The operation of this mechanism is as follows:-"-Assuming now merely as an example that the drill pipe will stand a maximum torque of 1000 lbs., it will be necessary, of course, to adjust the jack, that is the part 24 and. parts mounted thereon to hold suflicient tension on the line 22 as to resist this 1000 lbs. of drill pipe torque at the points of contact of the rotatable unit 25 and line 22, bearing'in mind that this member 24 and 25 has its frame or body extended from the center to provide the two arms or extensions 41.

It must be also borne inmind that these extensions 41 act as levers so that the amount of actual resistance at the points of contact with the cable 22 would not be 1000v lbs. Assuming that the mechanism is set with only a suflicient pressure to hold the tension'necessary to resist 1000 lbs.v of drill pipe torque and that the bitfor any cause should resist rotation in excess of 1000 lbs., then as soon as rotation of the drill pipe is resisted in excess of 1000 lbs., the rotating unit 24 will turn on its axis against the pressure on the ends of the arms 41 thuscausing the free end of the cable 22 to pull upward.

This retracts the pulley 55 causing the link 77 to turn the valve 74, cutting down the pressure to the engine and stopping reduces the speed of rotation of the drill pipe. maintain this position until such time as the bit clears itself and begins rotating; As soon as this happens, the .element 24 will swing back to its Leading into the These parts will to return to its initial position,which in turn with this mechanism, it is an impossibility to' apply any more power to thedrill pipe than the amount that the'jack is set for. Thus it is impossible to twist the drill pipe bit or any tool being used past the pointer safety, thus entirely eliminating the hazards of twist-ofis and damagetodrillstringaswellaseliminatingany burden of guess-work or poor judgment on the part of the'driller.

It is, of course, necessary in drilling tohave free movement of the drill stem vertically up and down in the derrick. This is provided for by the guide pulleys or guide devices 42 on the extremities of the arms 41 which allow the element 24 to move vertically upon the cable 22 without disengaging it from this cable and without interfering in any way with the adjustment or the operation of the driving unit. If the cable ."22 should part atany time during the operation,

the pressure within the cylinder 58 would cause the sheave to move suddenly away from the sheave 43, thus closing the valve '13, shutting pressure off from the engine.

In the operation. of this device, gage 53 at all times indicates the amount of torque, drag or twist on the drill pipe or bit, the gage 54 recording this torque or drag. It will thusbe seen that I have provided a governor controlling the .amount of. torque applied to the drill pipe and also a safety device in case of line breakage. It is to be understood that in the operation of this mechanism, steam is not permitted to flow within the cylinder 38 but is kept within a predetermined pressure in that portion of the cylinder nearest the pulley 55, thereby maintaining an even pressure at all times when the jack is in operation. If desired, the pressure may be released from within this portion of the cylinder by the front bleeder cock after steam or fluid.

has been shut oil from the cylinder. Pressure is applied at the opposite end of the cylinder only at such times as it becomes necessary to release the cable 22, the movement of pulley 55,,

the piston and the piston rod in the direction of the pulley 43 slackening'the line suilicient to permit this release or the cable by unhooking it atits anchor end 21.

While I have illustrated certain details of construction and arrangements of parts'which have been found particularly etiective injaetual practice, I do not wish to be limited to this as obviously manyminor changes might be made therein without departing from; the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:- 1. The combination of a rotary drill and driving means for rotating the drill, of means' 'acting automatically when-resistance to the rotation of the drill increases above a predetermined amount-to reduce the iorce of said driving means and including a cable operatively connected to the means to controlthe latter.

2. The combination with a rotary drill, of driving means for rotating the drill, and means bodily rotatable around the axis 01 the drill and under the power of the driving means when the drill is held from rotation acting automatigailly when resistance=to the rotation of the drill inoperation of the driving means, and as such reing it, said means being rotatably mounted for V I v 3 creases above a predetermined amount to reduce the application of force to the drivin means and including a cableresisting rotation of the drivin means around the drill stem and controlling the sistance' decreases to increase the application of force to the means. 3. {Ihe combination with a rotary drill, and means movable vertically with the drill for driv- Y movement around the axis of the drill when the torque on the drill is greater than the force of the driving means, and means yieldingly resisting rotation of said driving means around the matically when resistance to the rotation of the drill increases above a predetermined amount to reduce the power exerted by the driving means, said means operating in all vertical positions of the 5. In a rotary drilling apparatus, a rotary drill, means iorraising or lowering the drill, a motor operatively connected to the drill to drive it, a gearwheel mounted upon the drill and driven from the motor, a support for the motor and gear wheel movable in one direction when the torque on the drill increases beyond a predetermined degree, means yieldingly resisting movement of the support with the drill and set to resist such movement up to a predetermined point of torsional stress, and means acting upon a rotation of said supporting means from its normal position to reduce power applied to the motor and upon a reduction of the torsional stress to increase the power applied to the motor;

6. Ina rotary drilling apparatus, a rotary drill, means for raising or lowering the drill, a motor operatively connected to the drill to drive it,- a gear wheel mounted upon the drill and driven from the motor, a support for the motor and gear wheel, the support being rotatable around the axis of the drill when the torque on the drill is above apredetermined amount, a cable anchored at one end and engaged with one end of the support, yielding means resisting de- 'power to the motor upon such deflection of the cable. V

7. In a rotary drilling apparatus, a rotary drill, means for raising or lowering the drill, amotor operatively connected to the drill. to drive it, a gear wheel mounted upon the drill and driven from the motor, a support for the motor and gear wheel, the support being rotatable around the axis of the drill when the torque on the drill is above a predetermined amount, a cable anchored at one end and engaged with one end of the support, yielding meanscarrying a pulley over which they cable passes; the extremity of the cable beyond .the pulley being anchored, said means yielding when a predetermined amount of strain is placed upon the cable by a deflection of the cable under the action of the support, a valve controlling the passage of motive fluid to 150 the motor, and means operatively connected to the pulley for reducing the amount of motiveaxis of the drill when the torque on the drill is above a predetermined amount, a cable anchored at one end and engaged with one end of the support, yielding means carrying a pulleyover which the cable passes, the extremity of the cable beyond the pulley being anchored, said means yielding when a predetermined amount of strain is placed upon the cable by a deflection 01' the cable under the action of the support, a valve controlling the passage of motive fluid to the motor, and means operatively connected to thepulley for reducing the amount of motive fluid as the pulley moves under strain caused by the deflection of the cable, said means increasing the amount of motive fluid passed to the motor upon said strain being relieved and the pulley returning to its normal position, and means whereby the amount of strain on the cable may be indicated.

9. In a rotary drilling apparatus, a rotary drill, means for raising or lowering the drill, a motor operatively connected to the drill to drive it, a gear wheel mounted upon the drill and driven from the motor, a support for the motorand gear wheel, the support being rotatable around the axis of the drill when the torque on the drill is above a predetermined amount, a cable anchored at one end and engaged with one end of the support, yielding means carrying a pulley over which the cable passes, the extremity of the cable beyond'the pulley being anchored, said means yielding when a predetermined amount of strain is placed upon the cable by a deflection of the cable under the action of the support, a valve controlling the passage of motive fluid to the motor, means operatively connected to the pulley for reducing the amount of motive fluid as the pulley moves under strain caused by the deflection of the cable, said means increasing the amount of motive fluid passed to the motor'upon said strain being relieved and the pulley returning to its normal position, and means whereby the amount of strain on the cable may be indicated including a pulley over which the cable passes, the pulley being pivotally mounted for oscillation, a fluid compressor operatively connected to the pulley and an indicating and recording gage operatively connected to the compressor.

10. In a rotary drilling apparatus, a rotary drill, means for raising or lowering the drill, a gear wheel mounted upon the drill tube, a supporting structure upon which the gear wheel is mounted and rotatable around the axis of the drill, a pinion mounted on the supporting structure and engaging the gear wheel, an engine mounted upon the supporting structure and driving a pinion, a cable anchored at one end extending upward above the supporting structure cable passes, a pulley around which the cablepasses, an anchor to which that end of the cable beyond the pulley is engaged; elastic fluid operative means connected to the pulley, and resisting deflection of the cable and rotation of the motor supporting structure around its axis, a pipe line leading from a source of fluid pressure to the engine and having a valve, and means operatively connecting the pulley to the valve whereby upon a deflection of the cable due to a rotative movement of the supporting structure relative to the drill pipe, the'valve will be shifted to reduce or cut off the flow of motive fluid to the engine and upon a return of the cable upon its deflected position, the flow'of motive fluid to the engine will be increased to normal.

11. In a rotary 'drilling apparatus, a rotary drill, means for raising or lowering the drill, a gear' wheel mounted upon the drill tube, a supporting structure upon which the gear wheel ismounted rotatable around the axis of the drill, a pinion mounted on the supporting structure and engaging the gear wheel, an engine mounted upon the supporting structure and driving a pinion, a cable anchored at one end extending upward above the supporting structure and then downward, the extremities of. the supporting structure having eyes through which the cable passes, a pulley around which the cable passes, an anchor to which that end of the cable beyond the pulley is engaged, elastic fluid operating means connected to the pulley, and resisting deflection of the cable and rotation of the motor supporting structure around its axis, a pipe line leading from a source of fluid pressure to the engine and having a valve, and means operatively connecting the pulley to the valve whereby upon a deflection of the cable due to a rotative movement of the supporting structure relative to the drill pipe, the valve will be shifted to reduce or cut oif the flow of motive fluid to the engine and upon a return of the cable upon its deflected position, the-flow of motive fluid to the engine will be increased to normal, and means for indicating the torque applied to the drill tube and comprising a pulley beneath which the cable passes, a frame for the pulley pivotally mounted in a vertical plane, the frame having an arm, a diaphragm casing, a diaphragm therein operatively engaged by said arm, a gage, and a tubular connection from the opposite side of the diaphragm casing to said gage.

12. In drilling apparatus, a derrick, a rotary drill pipe, a swivel connected to the drill pipe, means on the derrick whereby the swivel and drill pipe may be raised and lowered, a gear wheel mounted upon the drill pipe below the swivel, a supporting structure upon which the gear wheel is mounted for free rotation. around the axis of the drill pipe, a fluid pressure engine mounted upon the supporting structure, a pinion driven thereby and engaging the gear wheel, reversing mechanism for the engine, a fluid pressure operated means for the reversing mechanism, the supporting structure having at its opposite ends opposed pairs of pulleys, a cable anchored at one end and passing upward through one of said pairs of pulleys and then downward through the other pair of pulleys, pulleys on the derrick over which said cable passes, a pulley around which the end of the cable remote from said anchor passes, anchoringv means for this end of the cable, a cylinder, a piston therein having a piston rod operatively connectedto the pulley, means for controllably admitting fluid to the interior of the cylinder to exert a predetermined retractile force upon the pulley and thus keep the cable taut, a

supply pipe for the engine having a valve, a link adjustably connected to'the pulley and connected to the valve whereby as the pulley is drawn outmeans on the derrick whereby the swivel and drill.

pipe may be raised and lowered, a gear wheel mounted upon the drill pipe belowthe swivel, a

supporting structure upon 'which the gear wheel is mounted for free rotation, a steam engine mounted upon the supporting structure, a pinion driven thereby and engaging the gear wheel, re-

versing mechanism for the engine, a fluid pressure operated means for the reversing mechanism, the supporting structure having at its opposite end opposed pairs of pulleys, a cable anchored at onerend" and passing upward through one of said pairs of pulleys and then downward through the other pair of pulleys,- pulleys on the derrick over which said cable passes, a pulley around which the end of the cable remote from theanchored end of the cable passes, the pulley being provided with. a circumferential series of holes, an eye'bolt insertible into any one of said holes, a cylinder, a piston therein connected with the pulley, means for connecting eitherend of the cylinder with a source of fluid therethrough, and relieving fluid pressure from the opposite end of the cylinder, a steam 'supply pipe for the cylinder, a steam supply pipe for the engine of the supportingstructure and having a valve, a rod connected to said valve and adapted to be engaged with said eye bolt on the pulley, supply H pipe for the fluid operated reversing means, and a manually operable valve controlling passage through said last named supply pipe. t

14. Ina drilling apparatus, a drill pipe, a driving gear thereon, a supporting structure for the driving gear, an engine carried on the supporting I structure, a pinion driven by the engine and engaging the gear wheel, a cable anchored at both ends and passing through one end of the supporting structure,'yielding means for holding the cable at a predetermined degree of tension whereby when torque on the drill tube increases beyond a predetermined amount, the supporting structure will tend to rotate around the axis of the drill, pipe and thereby deflect. said cable against its yielding tensioning means, and means for indicating the degree of torque applied to cable passes, a iframe pivotally'supporting the pulley and having an arm, a diaphragm chamher, a diaphragm therein controlled by said arm, a fluid pressure gage, and a' tubular connection leading from said tubular chamber to said gage. 15.-The com bination with a rotary drill and means for drivingit mounted for rotation around the cable comprising a pulley beneathwhich the the axis of the drill, of means yieldingly resisting rotation of the driving means around the drill and placed under a predetermined tension, the means acting to reduce the'power of said driving means upon-rotation of the driving means around the axis of the drill.

16. The combination with a rotary drill, and means for driving it, of means acting automatiically to'reduce the power of the driving means to thereby prevent the drill being submitted to more thana predetermined degree of torque including an element yieldingly held against rota- .tion but rotatable around a center when torque .upon the drill stem increases beyond a predetermined amount. a V

- JACK'JQHNS ON. 

